lifespan development - attachment Flashcards
yr 11 unit 1 (33 cards)
attachment
a strong mutual affectional bond that binds a child to a caregiver, characterised by affection and a desire to maintain proximity
harlow’s experiment
determined whether attachment was a result of food or comfort. when monkeys were given the choice between a cloth mother, or a wire mother who gave food found monkeys spent more time with the cloth mother and only went to the wire mother to feed
harlow’s contributions
challenged previously held beliefs regarding attachment as something reliant on food, established ‘contact comfort’ leading to further studies into attachment
harlow’s limitations
ethical concerns regarding treatment of monkeys. limited generalisability onto human behaviour. experimenter effect as harlow himself favoured the cloth mother in his interactions with the monkeys
bowlby
believed attachment was biologically based, as an evolutionary perspective as babies are born to cry, coo and smile which encourages close proximity. believed quality of early attachment influences early relationships
monotropy
bowlby suggested a critical period for developing attachment (2.5 years) and a sensitive period of up to 5 years. monotropy is the idea babies form an attachment to one figure (usually the mother) that is innate and more important then others
critical period
a limited time frame during which a development can occur. if an attachment has not developed in this time, then it may well not happen at all
sensitive period
a stage in development when an organism can most rapidly acquire a particular skill or characteristic
maternal deprivation hypothesis
if an infant is unable to develop a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with its mother the child would have difficulty forming relationships with other people. leads to delinquency, reduced intelligence, aggression, depression and ‘affectionless psychopathy’
affectionless psychopathy
a lack of concern for others, lack of guilty and an inability to form meaningful relationships
44 thieves study
selected 88 children from clinic, 44 thieves and 44 had emotional problems. over 80% of thieves had been separate from their mothers for a period of time, only 20% of the control group. 32% of thieves had ‘affectionless psychopathy’ but 0% of the control group had it. suggested correlation between criminal behaviour & maternal deprivation
strengths of bowlby
importance of early attachment, emphasis on caregiver-child relationship, and continuity hypothesis
limitations of bowlby
downplays roles of other factors such as genetics, temperament and social environment, ignores attachment variations, and overemphasises maternal attachment
internal working model
cognitive representation of self and other people, shapes expectations of relationships and guides/enters social/emotional development
cognitive framework
allows for an understanding of relationships, model for others experienced as trustworthy, model of self as being valuable and important to others, model of self as being effective when interactive with others
mary ainsworth
expanded on bowlby’s work and challenged attachment as an all or nothing concept, created further categories for it
strange situation scenario
assigns an attachment style to infants aged 12-18 months. focuses on the reunion between caregiver and child to assign attachment
insecure avoidant attachment (type A)
-do not orientate their attachment figure while investigating the environment
-very independent of attachment figure mentally & emotionally
-do not seek contact with attachment figure while distressed
-such children are likely to have a caregiver who is insensitive & rejecting their needs
secure attachment (type B)
-feel confident attachment figure will be available to meet needs
-use attachment figure as safe base to explore environment and seek them in distress
-easily soothed by attachment figure when upset
-caregiver is sensitive to signals & responds appropriately to needs
-develop positive working models of themselves
insecure resistant attachment (type C)
-child fails to develop any feelings of security from attachment figure
-exhibit difficulty moving away from attachment figure to explore novel surroundings
-when distressed difficult to soothed and not comforted by interaction with authority figure
-results from an inconsistent level of response from their needs will have a negative internal working model and exaggerate emotional responses for attention
insecure avoidant in a strange situation
-will play and explore the environment independent of caregiver (secure base)
-shows no sign of distress when caregiver leaves (separation anxiety)
-okay with stranger and plays normally when stranger is present (stranger anxiety)
-shows little interest when mother returns - doesn’t seek proximity contact
secure in a strange situation
-will explore the room but regularly return to caregiver (secure base)
-moderately distressed when caregiver leaves (separation anxiety)
-avoidant of stranger when alone but friendly when caregiver is present (stranger anxiety)
-positive and happy when caregiver returns -will seek proximity and maintain contact (reaction to reunion)
insecure resistant in a strange situation
-will not leave the caregiver to play and explore room (secure base)
-intensely distressed when the caregiver leaves (separation anxiety)
-avoidant of the stranger and shows fear of the stranger (stranger anxiety)
-approach caregiver when they return but will resist contact, and may even push them away (reaction to reunion)
strengths of a strange situation
validity, reliability, practical application
